Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Debate between Hugh Bayley and Owen Smith

Tuesday 19th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Owen Smith]

My hon. Friend mentions devolution. Does he agree that the Bill being railroaded through to try to fix the result of the next election has another unintended consequence—on devolution? The Bill makes a radical change in Wales that will shift the balance between Westminster and the Assembly. It will be the biggest change since devolution was introduced, with a quarter of Welsh MPs losing their seats, and will therefore mean a radical diminution in both the scrutiny of Welsh-related legislation in the House and, potentially, a reduction in the quality of the Executive that hands over the block grant to Wales. It is a very important—

[The Temporary Chair (Hugh Bayley)]

Order. I remind the hon. Gentleman that interventions are supposed to be quite short.